LabNet connects campus digitally

Michael
Rayment, a computer system manager with the Department of Computer
Science.

By Kelly Foss

When a student sits down at one of the nearly 1,000 computers
overseen by Memorial University’s LabNet, little thought is
likely spared for the behind-the-scenes work that allows that
student a seamless experience, no matter where on campus they are
logging on.

“There are computer labs all across campus,” said
Michael Rayment, computer system manager with the Department of
Computer Science. “LabNet is responsible for 32 of them and
has a presence in virtually every building on campus, except for a
few administrative buildings. It provides a consistent interface
for students.

“What that means is, you can use a computer in the library
and have the exact same experience that you had on a computer in
the Education Building. It’s as if you wer­e sitting at
the same computer.”

LabNet is an automated lab management system. It operates a suite
of software tools that manage everything from setting up new
accounts, to deciding which printer on campus to use and how to pay
for a print job. These software tools were developed by the
Department of Computer Science and the department is responsible
for maintaining the tools and software for the 70 servers that host
LabNet.

The first lab was set up in 1995; a second followed in 1999.
Because the system was developed specifically for the university,
it allows for linkages to the Memorial University student smart
card. The card has an electronic “purse” on it, much
like that of a gift card, and can be refilled. Revenues from
students’ printing charges total approximately $75,000 a
year.

Mr. Rayment says there is actually no information stored on any of
the 1,000 computers in the LabNet system. Instead, they each run a
Windows or Linux image that is stored on a server. Each time a
student logs onto a computer, they get a refreshed version of that
image.

“Typically, this process takes less than a minute to
perform,” he said. “By the time the next user sits down
to use the workstation, the image on the disc has been restored to
its original pristine state. As a side effect, all operating system
viruses are eradicated automatically with no human intervention or
anti-virus software.”

LabNet is not exclusive to computer labs on campus. Students with
laptops are also accommodated. They can download a script that
connects them to the LabNet system which gives them the same access
to files saved on their individual home directory and to any LabNet
printer on campus.

Mr. Rayment is interested in seeing LabNet spread to other areas of
campus, including the offices of faculty and staff. He’d also
like to see classrooms linked by LabNet.

“I’d like to see it extend to all teaching labs and
electronic labs on campus,” he said. “Then professors
could go to any classroom and give the same presentation without
worrying if it’s going to work on that computer. I think when
that starts to happen the convenience factor will be a greater
incentive for faculty to use LabNet.”

Now that LabNet has withstood years of testing and tweaking, Mr.
Rayment feels it is stable enough to be made available as an open
source program for any school that might like to use it.

“There’s certainly a possibility for commercializing
LabNet,” he said. “However, we feel this is public
knowledge. A university couldn’t operate without a common
base of knowledge and we think of this software in that
way.”
He is currently operating an off-campus test site at St.
Bonaventure’s College to see how easily the program can run
remotely.

“If this pilot project works, it may become something the
Department of Education could be interested in,” said Mr.
Rayment. “We’ve set the lab up in such a way that we
can manage it from here. If we can do that successfully, then you
can technically run a whole school district from a central location
and not have to step foot through the school doors.”